Vyacheslav Malafeev

Vyacheslav Malafeev

• Born in St Petersburg (or Leningrad as it was then known), Malafeev received his footballing education at the city's renowned Smena academy; made his debut for Zenit aged 20 and became the club's first-choice goalkeeper in 2001.

• Experienced a dramatic international debut in the second leg of a UEFA EURO 2004 qualifying play-off against Wales, a 1-0 win in Cardiff sending Russia through to the finals.

• Became Russia's No1 after UEFA EURO 2004, where he replaced red-carded Sergei Ovchinnikov mid-tournament, but was subsequently displaced in the role by Akinfeev and spent the next few years as his understudy, including at UEFA EURO 2008.

• A Russian champion with Zenit in 2007, he kept goal in all of the club's knockout matches en route to winning the UEFA Cup the following year, keeping a clean sheet against Rangers FC in the final; helped Zenit to a Russian Cup and Premier-Liga double in 2010, bypassing 250 appearances for the club in the latter.

• His wife, Marina, was killed in a car crash on the morning of Zenit's 2010/11 UEFA Europa League round of 16 second leg against FC Twente.

• Ever-present in Zenit's historic passage through the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League group stage, conceding four goals, he appeared in 41 out of 44 matches as the Sine-Belo-Golubye retained the Premier-Liga title.

• First choice for Russia at the UEFA EURO 2012 finals, playing all three group stage games. Conceded just three times but the side failed to qualify for the knockout phase and announced retirment from international football following the event.

• Maintained primacy with Zenit during 2012/13 campaign, starting all of the club's six games in the UEFA Champions League.

• Displaced as first choice by new arrival Yuri Lodygin at the start of the 2013/14 season.

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